By Mia Brabham
Sponsored by OmniRide
There are new, exciting changes coming to OmniRide — and some beneficial transformations the local transportation service made during COVID-19 will remain the same.
OmniRide provides Prince William County residents with a handful of transportation and commuter options to reduce the all-too-familiar stress that comes along with traveling the roads during rush hour and beyond.
Starting next month, OmniRide will be implementing service changes and will continue keeping the community safe and informed on their COVID-19 response. Here’s what’s happening on the road:
Service Changes
There’s great news: a new service change will be taking effect this summer. Starting June 7, 2021, schedules for the Express, Metro Express, and Local routes will be adjusted.
- Two Express routes (“Dale City – Mark Center” and “Tysons”) that were suspended during Fall 2020 due to low ridership will be reinstated with new local routing.
- The following routes have revised timetable changes:
- OmniRide Express
- Dale City – Washington (D-100)
- Dale City – Pentagon & Rosslyn/Ballston (D-200)
- Dale City – Navy Yard (D-300)
- Gainesville – Washington (611)
- Gainesville – Washington (612)
- Haymarket – Rosslyn/Ballston (622)
- Lake Ridge – Washington AM (L-100)
- Lake Ridge – Pentagon & Crystal City (L-200)
- Manassas (601/602)
- Montclair (MC)
- South Route 1 (RS)
- Stafford – Washington (543)
- Stafford – Pentagon (942)
- OmniRide Metro Express
- Manassas Metro Express (60)
- Linton Hall Metro Express (61)
- OmniRide Local
- Dale City
- Dumfries
- Woodbridge/Lake Ridge
- OmniRide Express
Please note that the routes not listed do not have any timetable or map changes.
The new schedule brochures will be available digitally on OmniRide’s website and in print form (available upon request) from OmniRide bus operators starting June 1, 2021.
Continued COVID-19 Precautions
OmniRide loves serving the community, and they are committed to continuing to keep your ride as safe, comfortable, and enjoyable as possible. There will be daily rigorous cleaning of the bus interior, including handrails, arm rests, seat backs, and the bus operator’s compartment. Mid-day, the buses are temporarily required to hop off-route to be sanitized before picking up service again. Weekly, there is an enhanced cleaning performed on all buses — and the strength and quality of cleaning products have been increased. Additionally, all on-board air filters are cleaned and replaced frequently. Face coverings and social distancing between seats will still be in effect. Your health matters!
OmniRide continues to offer free fares on its Local and Metro Express services during the pandemic. Commuters on OmniRide Express buses will need to continue to pay fares and must use a SmarTrip card. (OmniRide is not currently accepting cash fares or cash reloading of SmarTrip cards.) For help with SmarTrip, please visit the SmarTrip page.
Want to Hop on OmniRide?
OmniRide is excited and ready for familiar faces and new riders when they’re ready to return; there’s always a seat for you! To read more about OmniRide’s services and operations, visit omniride.com. For more information, call 703-730-6664 or view the travel schedules here. See you on the road!
Mia Brabham is an author, writer, and media host. Her debut book, Note to Self, is a short collection of life lessons that is in the hands of readers all over the world. Mia is also the host of Two In The Morning, a podcast that explores and unpacks the cultural questions that keep us up at night. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter, or at bymiabrabham.com.
